Good To See: White House Will Now Make Some Federal Data Public Domain Worldwide Via Creative Commons CC0

from the good-move dept

As we've discussed plenty of times in the past, works created by the federal government here in the US are automatically in the public domain. There are some minor exceptions -- works created by others for the government can have copyright, and copyrights can be transferred to the US government. However, there's also one big exception, even if it's never really used: that public domain nature only applies to the US. Most other countries have concepts like crown copyright that allows government works to be covered by copyright -- and technically, works of the federal government that are public domain in the US can be considered covered by copyright elsewhere:

The prohibition on copyright protection for United States Government works is not intended to have any effect on protection of these works abroad. Works of the governments of most other countries are copyrighted. There are no valid policy reasons for denying such protection to United States Government works in foreign countries, or for precluding the Government from making licenses for the use of its works abroad.

In practice, the US government has never really enforced that foreign copyright. However, with the release of the administration's new Open Data Action Plan, the federal government is finally using CC0 declaration to waive copyright globally when it comes to datasets from certain government agencies. Additionally, the report itself is using the same CC0 dedication, while correctly noting that such a thing isn't even needed (nor could it really be used) for the work within the US:

As a work of the United States Government, this document is in the public domain within the United States. Additionally, the United States Government waives copyright and related rights in this work worldwide through the CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

This is a step in the right direction. Historically, we've seen how making US government data completely free has helped industries grow and innovate.

Re: Re: CREATIVE COMMONS IS NOT PUBLIC DOMAIN

In a country where everything is automatically copyrighted, how else can you approximate putting something in the public domain?

You can't. Some sort of explicit statement has to be made saying something like, "To the greatest extent permitted by, but not in contravention of, applicable law, Affirmer hereby overtly, fully, permanently, irrevocably and unconditionally waives, abandons, and surrenders all of Affirmer's Copyright and Related Rights," which is literally what the CC0 license does.

Jesus fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucking Christ, why are those who are the least informed so often the most sneering and condescending when attempting to "correct" others.

Re: Re: CREATIVE COMMONS IS NOT PUBLIC DOMAIN

Really, when you think about it, how screwed up is copyright such that you cannot intentionally put something you create into the public domain, but have to use little 'tricks' like CC licenses to manage at least something similar?

Automatic copyright, and no ability to not have your creations covered by copyright, just more evidence that copyright was not written with actual creators in mind, but copyright owners. Because really, when you're telling a creator that they cannot give their work to the public, even if they wanted to, how is that supposed to be helping them?

Re: Re: Re: Re: CREATIVE COMMONS IS NOT PUBLIC DOMAIN

Abolition and maximalism aren't so much two ends of a spectrum. Copyright is more like a Mobius strip where if you go far enough in the maximalist direction you end up restricting the rights of creators.

Re: CREATIVE COMMONS IS NOT PUBLIC DOMAIN

jesus fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucking christ since when is using any liscense for copystupid mean public domain

Nice attitude.

We tried to be clear. The work is public domain in the US, and the gov't is explicitly waiving all copyright worldwide via a CC0 declaration, which is as close to public domain as you can basically get.

As for the "license" point -- CC0 is not a license, it's a declaration.

Re: CREATIVE COMMONS IS NOT PUBLIC DOMAIN

No. This is using CC0. It's not really a Creative Commons license per se, but it's more of an explicit, universal public domain dedication. Some countries might not technically allow people to release works into the public domain on their own, or still have them be subject to other conditions such as moral rights.

jesus fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucking christ since when is using any liscense for copystupid mean public domain

THIS ARTICLE IS FALSE

Hahaha! Yeah, you'd think Mike would know what a license is. But, then again, if you've read TD before, maybe you wouldn't. Mike doesn't know what he's talking about most of the time. That's why he runs from criticism like the little insecure and angry coward that he is.